Freaky Lizard | National Geographic
Why Worldbuilding Stack Exchange recommends it
Worldbuilding Stack Exchange answerers link it as real-world evidence that a reptile can run bipedally, for questions about dragons, hip structure and frilled displays.
Recommended by 1 people across 1 different months, 2018 to 2020.
What it is
A one-minute National Geographic clip showing a frilled lizard rearing up and sprinting away on its hind legs to escape a predator. It is short nature footage with brief narration, uploaded by National Geographic.
What people said
Recommends JBH · 2018-10 · Worldbuilding Stack Exchange · on “How could dragons run?”
May I introduce you to the Frilled Lizard [this video] ? They, and quite a number of other types of lizards, are able to balance back on their tails and run like the devil! When you watch them run, you see their legs rotating like our arms, not our legs. The motion isn't a push-back-lift-move-forward-push-back motion. It's a swing-up-and-forward-then-push motion, more like an oar on a rowboat. Which is a fancy way of saying all your dragon needs is a rotator cuff [LINK] so the leg can get a larger swing arc and the ability to extend outward away from the body. Consequence? Full-sized dragon, booking along the ground, scorching the people in front of him. It'd be the funniest thing to watch since
Cites chasly - supports Monica · 2019-05 · Worldbuilding Stack Exchange · on “What sort of hip bone is required for quadrupedal animals to locomote on their hind legs?”
There are lizard species that do this. For example Chlamydosaurus kingii , the Northern Australian Frilled Dragon that runs two-legged on land Video: [this video] [LINK] and Basiliscus basiliscus , the Jesus Christ Lizard that can run on water ! Video: [LINK] [LINK]
Cites Adrian Colomitchi · 2020-03 · Worldbuilding Stack Exchange · on “Can an animal develop a facial disk through muscle and bone alone?”
Make it evolve from the equivalent of frilled lizard [LINK] and you may have your bird evolving a facial disk even before evolving wings [this video] (frilled lizards being able to climb on trees to escape predators, you may even have an evolutionary advantage pushing for wings) If you don't need a bird, that's fine, the example shows that it is possible.